Iranian fighter jets fired on US drone in Gulf

Two Iranian fighter jets fired on an unarmed US drone in international
airspace over the Gulf last week and missed, the Pentagon said on Thursday
night, warning that the United States stood ready to protect its forces in
the region.

The incident occurred on Nov 1, less than a week before the presidential election, but the Pentagon kept it quiet. “They intercepted the aircraft and fired multiple rounds,” said George Little, a spokesman.

The incident threatens to worsen relations between Washington and Tehran amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.

President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta were both advised early on about the unprecedented incident on Nov 1.

Iran was later warned through diplomatic channels the US would keep conducting surveillance flights in the region and would protect its military assets, Mr Little said.

"The United States has communicated to the Iranians that we will continue to conduct surveillance flights over international waters over the Arabian Gulf consistent with longstanding practice and our commitment to the security of the region," he said.

In a warning to Tehran, the Pentagon spokesman said the United States was prepared to safeguard its forces.

"We have a wide range of options, from diplomatic to military, to protect our military assets and our forces in the region and will do so when necessary," Mr Little said.

Meanwhile, Iran has claimed that the Obama administration has "completely different" views on the Islamic Republic to Israel and the US Republican Party, according to an intelligence ministry report.

The report, posted on the ministry's newly launched website vaja.ir, claimed that the Democrats had "pinned their" hopes on a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear threat, and that there was "open confrontation between Mr Obama and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the issue".

It was apparently prepared before Mr Obama's re-election victory on Tuesday over Mitt Romney.

"The Republican party has a more severe confrontational approach towards Iran ... and its proposed policies are close to those of the Zionist (Israel) regime," it said according to an AFP report.

Mr Obama's "Democratic party's position is completely different" on Iran, it added.

The analysis contradicts the rhetoric of Iranian leaders and media who daily denounced Mr Obama during his first term, accusing him of aligning his policies to those of Israel in a bid to weaken the Islamic republic.

"Although Democrats have not hesitated in implementing hostile policies against the Iranian nation and repeatedly say that 'all options are on the table,' they have pinned their hope on diplomacy," the report said.

Mr Obama has rallied US allies against Iran, toughening sanctions, with Tehran's oil exports and access to world financial systems being key targets.

The United States and other world powers, including Tehran's arch-enemy Israel, accuse Iran of using its nuclear programme to mask a drive for atomic weapons. Tehran denies that, saying it is for purely peaceful purposes.

Although Mr Netanyahu has exerted "immense pressure" on Mr Obama to adopt a firmer stance on Iran, the report said, "the policies of the Obama administration are different from those of the Zionist regime".

The analysis also argues that the Obama administration has a more moderate approach on sanctions against Tehran than European countries.

"Although Americans have themselves imposed expansive sanctions against Iran, they are still trailing the Europeans in this regard," it said.

Iran has also signalled it may be open to hold dialogue with the "Great Satan," its epithet for the United States, following the re-election of Mr Obama.